Above, Montclair Kimberley Academy graduates Mark and Rob Fortunato, kneeling, second and third from left, pose with their Italian teammates and Mexican opponents following their 12—3 win over Mexico at the World Lacrosse Championships in July. The Italian heritage of the Essex Fells natives and brothers allowed them to play for Team Italy. At right, Rob Fortunato, right, pals around with his backup goalie, Matteo Magugliani, in between games.

Foresight and their lacrosse talent landed brothers Mark and Rob Fortunato on Team Italy at the World Lacrosse Championships in July.

"I had contacted Fabio Antonelli, who runs the team, a couple of years ago and asked if we could be a part of Team Italy at the next World Championships because of our heritage," explained Mark, 25, a 2003 Montclair Kimberley Academy graduate. "We didn't hear from him until October, but he was thrilled that Rob and I wanted to play for the team because we were experienced with the game."

That's when uniform design entered the equation.

"We were kind of put in charge of creating the uniforms, so I went out to Lax Hut on Long Island and secured sponsorship from them for all of our equipment and uniforms," Mark, who played on attack, said. "Then I designed the helmets, jerseys, shorts … everything. We didn't expect to have to be doing it, but it was cool to be involved with that aspect."

The Fortunatos were two of four non-Italians playing for Team Italy at the tournament, held on the campus of Manchester University in England. Several of the European, Asian and South American teams enlisted the services of North American-born players with ethnic ties to their nations.

The Fortunatos did not practice with their team before stepping onto the field for their first game July 16 against the Czech Republic, and didn't know what to expect.

"The first game was a little rough from a language standpoint because I didn't know much Italian, and there were guys who didn't know any English," said Rob, 20, who started in goal. "As a goalie, you need to direct your defense and verbal communication is really important. It was a little rough, but we communicated better each day and game."

A 17-3 loss didn't deter the Italian squad, which finished the tournament with a 5-3 record and 18th out of 30 nations.

"There were a lot of teams that you could tell didn't have much experience at all in the game, but one thing I was impressed with was that none of the teams stopped trying and really gave everything they had," said Rob, who will be a junior goalie at national-power Virginia this autumn. "Lacrosse is really growing, and it won't be long before the coaching and skill level improves in other parts of the world."

The Fortunatos did their best to share their advanced lacrosse knowledge with their teammates during the eight days together in England. While most teams played an 80-minute, running-time game each day, leaving little time for practice, the North American players on Italy held impromptu workouts with their teammates.

"They were eager to learn, so we did line drills and taught them parts of the game that hadn't reached over there yet," Mark said. "Most of the guys on our team were soccer players who have only been playing lacrosse for a couple of years."

Top teams, Growth

The United States, which took home gold, and Canada dominated the tournament while Australia finished a distant third. Up-and-comer Japan was fourth.

Lacrosse was played by Native Americans in North America as far back as the 12th century and eventually U.S. and Canadian settlers picked up the game. But it stayed primarily a North American sport until less than three decades ago. The sport, which is still spreading west and south in the U.S., has jumped oceans, too.

"I'm not saying it's an easy sport, but once you learn the basics, it's a game that can be picked up pretty quickly," said Rob. "What would hurt them starting out is if they don't have the proper coaching right away."

The younger Fortunato was excited to watch Team U.S.A., which was made up primarily of Major League Lacrosse players. Ned Crotty, a Virginia alumni and friend of Mark and Rob, impressed Rob. He said he also enjoyed watching the other former UVA players.

Team bonding

The Italian team dormed at Manchester, eating meals with each other while sharing Italian and American customs during downtime. Both Fortunatos said the Italians quickly adopted their North American teammates, treating them like brothers.

"Hanging out with a bunch of guys who may interact and certainly communicate differently than you was interesting, but also a lot of fun," said Rob. "Our coach took us out for Italian food one of the nights we were there, and just watching how they ate was entertaining. We had a bunch of characters on the team."